Page 43 of Fathers of the Bride

15

Miles Kettering-Lane

It took nearlyforty-five minutes to get home from the valley—these days it takes forty-five minutes to cross the street in L.A., so that was lightning fast. Pulling into the garage, Kelly’s Volvo was there. She and Avery had returned from his family’s home to stay a few days with me. They’d arrived the afternoon before.

Which had given me a chance to clear a few things up. “So—a little birdie told me you made a trade with your future in-laws,” I said to my daughter as her fiancé rifled through the refrigerator.

“Everything you make is so good, Miles.” He had put a half a spinach lasagna, vegetarian chili, and the remaining slice of raspberry cheesecake onto the marble countertop.

“Dinner is in two hours. Don’t spoil your appetite.” I said—though in all honesty he had a bit of the growing boy about him—then I turned and stared my daughter down.

“I did cut a deal,” she said, trying to hide a proud smile. “They’ve got the engagement party and they’re going to leave you entirely alone.”

Somehow I doubted that, but we can all pretend. Denial always brings a family closer together. I decided to press on, “I should ask,whendo you want to get married?”

“Soon, I guess.”

“Christmas day was mentioned—”

“No, not on the holiday.”

“December then. A weekday evening wedding is out of the question. Not in Los Angeles. Half the people we’d invite couldn’t be there until eight. Sunday afternoon on the eighteenth?”

“That’s sounds soon,” Kelly said. “What do you think Avery?”

“I think I’d marry you tomorrow,” he said through a mouthful of cheesecake. “Just tell me where to be.”

“Can you do everything that quickly?” she asked me.

“The biggest scheduling problem for a wedding is typically the venue and we have that handled. As to the rest, I still have many, many contacts in the wedding industry and I’m owed favors galore. I’m sure with the right mix of flattery and blackmail—”

“Daddy, yes would have been plenty.”

“Yes,” I said to please her. Then asked, “Your favorite color is still blue?”

“Yes. It’s Avery’s favorite color, too.”

“That’s adorable. I’m thinking for your wedding colors a light blue and a dark blue. You trust me to choose the exact shades?”

“Yes, Daddy. We trust you.”

“Wonderful. I’ll find a caterer who does farm to table, and there will be vegan, vegetarian and humanely farmed meat choices. Any leftovers will be given to the homeless.””

“Thank you.”

“See, I pay attention.”

“No one said you didn’t.”

“You will pick out your dress. Yes?”

“Yes.”

“And Avery will take care of his tux.”

He nodded.

“Black, elegant, classic?”